1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of mechanical horology. It more particularly concerns a timepiece provided with a particular regulator organ.
2) Description of Related Art
In some mechanical timepieces, in particular in bracelet watches, the motor organ which makes it possible to transmit energy to the movement is a spring housed in a drum to form a barrel. Unwinding of the barrel is controlled by a distributor organ called an escapement which also aims to maintain and count the oscillations of the regulator organ formed by a balance connected to a spiral-coiled spring.
Other details on escapements and regulation organs can be found in the book “Théorie de I'horlogerie” by Reymondin et al, Fédération des Ecoles Techniques, 1998, ISBN 2-940025-10-X, pages 99 to 169.
One knows that, when the escapement of a mechanical watch is in the vertical position, the inevitable imbalances of the balance and the spiral caused by the Earth's gravity cause operating variations. This is why the operation of a watch must be checked in different positions.
To resolve this drawback, a device known by the name tourbillon was developed by Breguet. The tourbillon, which constitutes a renowned complication in mechanical horology, is currently very widely used. Its purpose is to compensate for variations due to gravity by causing the spring balance, in the case of a single-axis tourbillon, to go through all vertical positions.
However, the construction of a tourbillon is extremely complex. Moreover, a device of this type derives all of its purpose from pocket watches and miniature clocks, which are nearly always in a vertical position. But its usefulness is more doubtful in a bracelet watch, which is likely to occupy all positions and is almost never in a completely vertical position.
Moreover, in the great age of maritime travel (late XVIIth century), marine chronometers were developed to provide instruments making it possible to measure time with great precision, despite pitching and rolling. The case containing the clockwork movement is, in a manner of speaking, suspended. More specifically, it is mounted on a support, a system of gimbals enabling the support to orient itself in all three spatial dimensions. The support is coupled to a counterpoise. Thus, despite the movements of the swell, the gravity undergone by the counterpoise combined with the action of the gimbals, keeps the support horizontal relative to a terrestrial reference.
This type of gimbal system cannot be transposed to the inside of a movement for a portable timepiece, as it is too bulky. Moreover, the problem of the connection between the going train and the part suspended by the gimbal remains unsolvable to date.
The present invention aims to propose a timepiece whereof the operation of the regulator organ is not exposed to variations in gravity and does not present the aforementioned drawbacks.